Express your opinions and relate your experience with The American Community Survey. Until YOU get one, YOU have no IDEA! Intrusive questions and the most personal of information. RANT and RAGE right here.

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Did You Say No to The American Community Survey?

You can always read what I say about the American Community Survey.This page is for your rants about the ACS— it too will stay on top with another fake date. I've been zipping around blogland and what I notice most is how this nefarious packet creates a whiplash in people's lives. The American Community Survey jars our reality.

157 Comments:

I am a Cancer survivor that could of very easily lost the fight had I not fought back mentally and physically against the disease.

I received the census 2x and 3 phone calls were placed to my residence. I called them back and stated - I had called my Senators and will be a non responder to this survey - I ended the call with don't send anyone to my residence.

My father a WWII veteran in the Battle of the Bulge died in the early 70's at age 49. He loved his country and would die for it. He hated bureauacracy. He told me one day a revolution would come against the government in this country and he would be the first in line to fight. I never realized what the hell he was talking about. Now I do.

I burned the Survey and returned only the following letter in the return envelope. LazarusDirectorUS Census BureauPO Box 5240Jeffersonville, IN 47199-5240

I have received your American Community Survey and I must say that it appears at first to be a classic example of Phishing for information to be used in Identity Theft. The only thing missing is a Nigerian postmark. But I understand that this is an actual request from our government!

I am a responsible citizen and willing to help the Census Bureau with the information it needs to make informed decisions. However, your survey is quite intrusive into specific information that should not be needed. And I cannot risk providing. My obligations are to protect my family first, and to be a good citizen second.

You need to know how many persons are living in a household. I understand that. But you require the first name, last name, and middle initial of each person living there. This cannot be needed for census information.

You need to know the age of each person, I understand that. But you require the actual birth dates of each person. This cannot be needed for census information.

You need to know if each person is employed, I understand that. But you require that we provide the name and address of our employers. This cannot be needed for census information.

You need to know certain information about commuting habits, I understand. But you ask what time each person leaves the house. This cannot be needed for census information. This would be great information for thieves to have.

You also ask for a great deal of financial information. We provide this info each year to the IRS.

By cross-referencing this data you can create an almost complete identity profile. The only thing missing is the Social Security Number. But you probably ask for that in the follow up phone calls because you also require a phone number to contact.

Other unscrupulous persons, not associated with the Survey could just call asking for this information to complete the survey. It is a given that they will. Because people, especially the old, trust the good will of the government. This survey is putting many people at risk.

Please don’t try to assure me how safe this information is in your hands. I am not impressed with the security skills of the public sector. Every act that creates something like the American Community Survey also contains provisions by which you are absolved of all responsibility for failure to protect this information. I have to provide the info, you don’t have to protect it.

Only a very naive person would fill out this survey with all the risk associated with the need to protect personal security.

Please don’t tell me that I will be fined for failure to participate. I doubt that you can really prosecute a person for an attempt to protect themselves. My reasons for withholding the information are valid. I am not convinced that your need for specific data is.

After I print this I will be forwarding it to both my congress man/woman and my state representative.

I have received the survey twice now. Both copies went into the trash. 3 visits to my house by one of their govertment goons and now a follow up letter asking for cooperation. They will never get me to answer this thing. Big brother is out of control!

gov't nazi goon came to the house tonight. i did not answer the door. he rang the door bell and sttood on the front porch for 15-16 minutes, ringing and waiting. i was in the adjoining bedroom watching him as he stood in the porch lite, wondering when the gestapo agents will be kicking down my door. but! if they do, i have a suprise for them

i know for a fact that you do NOT have to give your name, or your birthday, you can remain anonymous. it is a mandatory survey and your response is required by law, but what a lot of people dont know is that your response can be a refusal to answer a question. and i think that if everybody would just actually check out what it is used for and how it can help your community, you would not be so quick to slam the phone down. remember those people calling you, and those people knocking on your door, are NOT the ones who picked those questions, so why be so hard on them? and ia lso happen to know for a fact that those people calling you, dont always agree with the questions they have to ask you, but everybody has a job to do right? you may not always like it, but you dont get paid to ask questions about the questions you have to ask..

I burned the Survey and returned only the following letter in the return envelope. Lazarus Director US Census Bureau PO Box 5240 Jeffersonville, IN 47199-5240

GREAT RESPONSE! Oh, that I was as literate and not so hot tempered,I have done the blogging responses, The Senators and Congressmen, letters to, etc: what a bunch of ego centric jerks that we have allowed to take our tax dollars and come up with this expensive printed garbage.I am now into my 3rd phone call, unanswered and awaiting the knocks on the door, hopefully my dog will intercede for me with a quick nip on their arse!When the Jackboots arrive eventually I shall be locked and loaded. I am amazed that the survey didn't ask about what type of ammo or firearms are in the house and who owns them, the blind person, the infirm or the illegals.Remember this is how it starts and check recent history to see how it ends.There will be no USA left to right the wrong this time. The USA is becoming part of it.

The government takes away our rights daily. And some of us have no rights. Like spouses of SSI recipients - I can't even save MY OWN MONEY or he loses his SSI which OF COURSE they attach to MEDICAID. I can't have life insurance over $1500. I can't have over $3,000 in bank and I'm NOT EVEN ON SSI - he is.

There are so many more issues - no smoking so the pharmaceutical companies can make a mint off their anti-smoking crap.

Student loan laws that ruin people for life with exhorbitant penalties and interest and fees and the garnishing of social security if you can't pay the whole amount each month because you don't make enough.

They told the Jews in Germany they were just coming to "work." Just like they are telling us now: We are doing this to "help" you.

How about we just answer the questions wrong. Say we are illegals. Say we were born in a different place than we were. One question asks if we have difficulty concentrating. How about we say "yeah, so much, that I can't fill out this crap."

I gave the first survey to my congressman. The secon one I let collect dust. The calls started. One caller 'unofficially' said I could write refuse across any question I didn't want to answer. I did that, probably big mistake. Only gave number of people in my house, age, and sex. They continue to call. The caller tonight was definitely originated from a non English speaking company. I told him I refused to answer. I'm thinking they will soon show up at my door. I don't want them to come when my adult children are babysitting my younger children. If I post a no trespassing sign and they come to my door are they trespassing?This 'survey' is just crazy!!

There is no law which requires you to read your mail, answer your phone or open your door. I pay for my phone and will decide who gets to talk to me. I am not required to waste my time talking to individuals who come to my door and ring the bell. The CB reps take advantage of the public wanting to be perceived as being nice. Well, I don't fined it nice to invade the public's privacy with an intrusive survey and then threaten fines for failure to respond. Ignoring them work well, since they don't get to argue with me. It is not the government's job to run these programs or to serve as the data collector for communities.

We had a month of letters, a month of daily phone calls. We are not "eligible" for a personal visit from a rep. They want us to call with our case number and make an appt.

We are ready for them.

In the meantime, the letter I received from the American Community Survey has on the back page of one of the pile of coerision which says the American Community Survey will be replacing the 2010 short survey.

I don't think too many people will want to fill it out. Why isn't anyone listening????

Our government is no longer a democracy. They have threatened us with a $500 fine if we do not tell the truth on the forms, and from $100 to $5,000 if we do not fill out the form. They have assigned us a case number, which seems pretty threatening to me.

They're using the tactics of a debt collector. I do NOT owe this kind of personal information to my government.

On April 1, 2010 I mailed my short form with only the number of residents in my home. Where a name was asked, I placed "RESIDENT;" nothing else. Then on April 2nd I received the 28 page form. So will my residents get counted twice? Hmmm.

Methinks this one will be sent back totally blank, perhaps with a post-it that we were already counted.

Any updates from the ones here currently being targeted? I sent my regular census in, with headcount only, but have not responded to the ACS I received. I may just fill in the headcount and send it in, that way they can't say I didn't "respond."

From either form, I haven't received any sort of follow-up, additional forms or calls.

(me from above) Actually, on second thought, the ACS is blatantly unconstitutional, so I don't think I will even respond.

I read in a news article recently that they get a 95% response rate. I don't believe that so many people are willing to volunteer this personal information for a second ,when the regular decennial census is reported to be in the 70% range.

The follow up for the ACS doesn't start until the mailing month is up. Each phase is a month. The CB needs the data junkies to believe that the response rate for the ACS is 95% because the CB doesn't want to release the actual rate, which is as you suspected, more like the decennial rate of 52-67%. In addition, the CB considers a completed form to have 5 data points listed. 5 data points can be obtained by looking at a residence.

The schedule for the 2010 follow up: Through April - replacement forms mailed.Through May - group quarters counted (military barracks, college dorms and skilled nursing homes) Note that many colleges may be done for the year by the time the reps get there.Through July - contacting households who haven't returned forms.Through August - follow up interviews for those who DID return forms.December - the counts get delivered to POTUS.

Filled out the regular census and got the ACS on 4/28. First reminder postcard arrived 5/2. I am amazed at the waste of taxpayer dollars for this survey which I have no intention of filling out. Waiting for the phone calls and visits to begin. Glad to have found this site so I know what to expect. What a joke!

I received my 2nd packet of the ACS a week ago. I do not intend to send it in. I sent in my decennial enumeration (no name, birthdate, etc, headcount only) and that's enough. I wonder if they'll be calling my unlisted phone number. I have no problem blowing people off or ignoring them on the phone or on my porch. I do it all the time with the time-wasting solicitors that call and visit periodically. A no soliciting sign curtailed about 90% of the door to door solicitors, but reading about the Census Bureau's tactics, I'm sure they feel they're above obeying that. As if they're not soliciting constitutionally unauthorized information from me.

I, too, sent in my regular census form with two questions answered....number of people and that I was a Human under race. Then I got lucky and received the ACS form. I threw it away. I received another one along with a threat that I was required by law to respond and that failure to do so would result in severe penalties. I wrote N/A wher it wanted name and phone number and then put 1 where it asks for the number of people and then on every other page, I wrote N/A in answer to each question and sent it back in. I called my attorney and said that you responded, so he didn't see a problem with any penalties. He said that he would have done the same thing. He said they will probably try to contact me in person now and he tol;d me just to make myself unavailable. If one comes on my property, I will ask them nicely to leave and if thjey don't, I will call the sheriff's office and ask them to come remove them from my property or I'll have to take strong measures on my own.

I just received my SECOND American Community Survey. Didn't fill out the first one. This is a blatant invasion of my privacy. Since the envelope states "YOUR RESPONSE IS REQUIRED BY LAW" what is the penalty for not sending it in? I am about ready to get a lawyer. I know the Constitution doesn't specifically mention the right to privacy, but the Supreme Court considers the right to privacy as a basic human right. People in this Country need to wake up now. We are living in scary times -Big Brother is at our doorstep.

I have received 5 long forms, one short form, and over 6 phone calls. Today, I received a letter from Susan Schechter (Chief, ACS) in my response to the multiple calls in which I stayed I had completed the short form and had no intent on completely the long form as the questions violated my constitution rights. The letter goes on and on about how I must comply and the information is 'confidential.' So, went on line, found her contact information and provided the number they have been calling stating I would be more than happy to discuss my concerns with her. We will see if I receive such a follow-up call.

Meanwhile, I did find information that says clearly that the CB is demanding health facilities to complete information for its residents and that this information does not violate health information privacy (HIPAA) (see link http://www.healthlawyers.org/Lists/Health%20%20Information%20Technology/DispForm.aspx?ID=1415&RootFolder=%2FLists%2FHealth%20%20Information%20Technology%2FCensus%20Bureau%20and%20HIPAA). Also, the GAO cites a Texas decision which ruled that the long form was not in violation of the Constitution and therefore is constitutional ( see http://www.gao.gov/decisions/other/289852.htm#_ftn5). Since when does Texas court decisions make Federal rulings??????? Was there an appeal?

Though Orwell got the years wrong...he got it right. Next they will be planting chips and GPS tracking devices in us. OOOPS, forgot, that's called our PASSPORTS!

We received the ACS twice since we didn't answer it the 1st time. We fully expect the phone calls to start. Thank God for caller ID. This "survey" has the feel of an interrogation. Definitely got the feeling of Big Brother watching you. The use of the word "survey" is misleading since "survey" implies voluntary cooperation.

I received my original census questionnaire, of which I I responded to the number of individuals currently living at my residence. The remaining nine questions went unanswered. My response were then put in the hands of our ever so dependable US postal system.In the early part of May the census taker was at my door, apparently the response card was lost in the mail, and I was now required to repeat my answers to this elderly lady. This individual made four trips to my house trying to gain additional information. Due to my lack of cooperation I was told there would be more visits.In addition to this I too received my ACS, after reading the intrusive questions it went in the trash.Two weeks later I received a threatening letter, which instructed me under Title 13 that I am required to fill this form out. Well, that was trashed too. I received a second form, a fifth visit from the Census Bureau, and another "demand" letter. I only wish this government would use the same tenacity tracing down illegal immigrants as they do with their own tax paying, law abiding citizens.

Got the stuff in the mail, survey, card another survey, letter explaining how important it is to comply, then the phone calls started..very nicely told them to stick it, she said she would mark it as refused to respond, I said I did respond, and they just did not like my response. Got a visit 2 days ago, drove right past the "NO TRESPASSING", "POSTED", "WARNING BAD DOG", and the "BEWARE OF THE DOG" sign, got out of the vehicle and started toward the house, until she encountered the BAD dog. All three dogs were raising sand, they have electronic collars so they stopped at the edge of the driveway, and so did she. She was still 20 yards from the house and I yelled to here, "DO I KNOW YOU?" she said "NO WE HAVE NEVER MET", I said "DID YOU SEE THE SIGNS?" to which she replied "YES BUT I AM FROM THE CENSUS BUREAU AND..." I cut her off in mid stream and said "YOU ARE TRESPASSING AND YOU NEED TO LEAVE". She started again and I once again said "YOU NEED TO LEAVE!", and I walked back into the house. She stood there while the dogs just raised cain, then she left. Today I got a threatening letter, which by the way actually had my name on it for the first time, Title 13 blah blah blah... and "explaining" why I should submit and not resist, and that I should expect another agent to be dispatched to my residence, and I will be expected to comply. So we'll see what the next visit brings. I think I'll ask if they have a warrant and declare "YOU'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE"! Maybe she will call the sheriff for me! At least then I'll have the right to remain silent! or will they torture it out of me?

I received a phone call about the ACS since I have not filled either of the 2 packets I received. I called the number with the number they left on the answering machine and provided the agent with the 'case' number they provided when they called. The lady was very polite. I told her that the ACS was a complete invasion of my privacy and asked her where in the constitution does it say that the gov't can pry like this into someones lives (as if they already don't). I was curious to find out where she got my phone number since it is listed under another name. Any...she said that they will keep bothering me if I don't send it in with all the questions answered BUT she said that I can place an "R" (refuse to answer) near any questions I do not want to answer. So I am placing an "R" next to ALL questions. This, by there account, should stop the harrasement.

Sorry anon, The ACS predates the present administration. It was a backlash from the 2000 long form during the Clinton years which caused the ACS stealth program. The census has been expanding the question it asks for generations. Various groups get to submit questions for consideration every year. 3 questions have been added since I received the ACS.Both parties support using the CB to invade privacy. It is the only way to get the info they want to shove the progressive, nanny state programs down our throats.

I received the ACS form twice, and put it in the trash!This started in June,and now I have gotten phone calls as early at 6:30am till 10:00pm. They call all day long! They also use different caller ID'S to call from..some will say - Restricted - private - or calls from a number in Delaware. If you have caller ID that is what you look for. How dare they think that we would answer those intrusive questiions! For all i know it could be Acorn at my door taking this so called census! So i am waiting for them to come to the door, i wonder if they will climb over the courtyard gate to get to the front door?

I got the post card telling me to expect the American Community Survey, and didn't think to much about filling it out. Then I received my survey today, and after reading the questions they want answered, decided they are to invasive. I wouldn't even give the majority of that info out to family or friends, why would I send it in to be viewed by how many people...I really want people to know when I leave for work, where I work, what amount I pay for my mortgage etc. They need to find people who don't mind giving up that information...let's see maybe if they gave me a life-time subscription to life-lok Identity protection I might consider it, and a home security system since they want to know when I'm leaving to go to work! Wish me luck! Haven't decided to trash it, send it back blank, or just n/a or put refuse to answer on it!!

We received the ACS twice in the mail and threw them away. Today a man comes to our door, my husband lets him in and by the time I got to the kitchen my husband was already giving him our personal information even tho I had shown him the info online about the ACS and explained they had no right to our personal information. I began answering the questions with"that is to personal". When a stranger is asking how many vehicles we own how many rooms in our home and what hours my husband is at work I began to fear for my saftey.

Democrats, Republicans & Libertarians alike should all be concerned about the ACS survey asking intrusive questions that violates our right to keep our personal information private. I am a democrat and cannot believe how progressives are treating this survey as a non issue--it is unconscionable to say the least.

Support Bill H.R. 3131 to make the ACS survey VOLUNTARY - It has already been introduced in congress but hasn't passed yet.

Write a Letter to Congress to support bill H.R. 3131. This will make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary. For information about the bill and to find out who your congressional leaders are, visit:

RESOLVED, that upon the approval of this resolution the Republican National Committee shall deliver a copy of this resolution to each of the Republican members of Congress, all Republican candidates for Congress, and to each Republican state and territorial party office.As approved by the Republican National Committee, August 6, 2010

If the Democrat's DNC would get on board as the RNC had recently done then bill, H.R. 3131 may have a good chance of getting passed into law.

Democrats, Republicans & Libertarians alike should all be concerned about the ACS survey asking intrusive questions that violates our right to keep our personal information private. I am a democrat and cannot believe how progressives are treating this survey as a non issue--it is unconscionable to say the least.

Support Bill H.R. 3131 to make the ACS survey VOLUNTARY - It has already been introduced in congress but hasn't passed yet.

Write a Letter to Congress to support bill H.R. 3131. This will make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary. For information about the bill and to find out who your congressional leaders are, visit:

RESOLVED, that upon the approval of this resolution the Republican National Committee shall deliver a copy of this resolution to each of the Republican members of Congress, all Republican candidates for Congress, and to each Republican state and territorial party office.As approved by the Republican National Committee, August 6, 2010

If the Democrat's DNC would get on board now as the RNC had recently done then bill, H.R. 3131 may have a good chance of getting passed into law.

If you feel your civil liberties are being violated or you are being harassed, fined or even being threatened imprisonment by this senseless bureau for your failing to comply with the mandated ACS survey then this video may be just what you are looking for.

I refused to fill out the survey too. I just didn't like it. Everyday I had been getting either calls or mail or home visits by people trying to pressure me into filling out this survey. And when I tell them no, I'm not going to do it they tell me they will just keep sending people back.

I finally called the police today because I thought, this doesn't sound like a government project. Intimidation and pressuring me to fill out a form they made it seem was a mandate. I was so concerned I wanted to make sure I wasn't doing anything illegal. And then I thought, doesn't our Constitution guarantee our right to refuse entry, no trespass? I mean just because someone has my address, that doesn't mean I have to let them into my finances or personal information. The policeman was great and he called them and the man said the same things on the speaker phone and I said I don't want to do it. I am refusing. I want you to stop sending people here and stop having people call and stop sending me mail.If they come to my house again my neighbors will be watching for them and they'll take pictures and get license plate numbers if I'm not home. But why should I have to feel this way in my own home?Why don't they take no for an answer?

When you think of it, all that effort for a lousy 10% increase in data collected. If a private company had that kind of a result, it would change methods. In addition, we only have the CB's word for it that the 50% and 10% are actual figures. The CB use to report a 98% return on the ACS, which was totally bogus. I'm more inclined to believe that the 50% and 10% have more to do with the response to the 2010 census. One can always count on the CB to lie about the actual response rates.

they've started coming to my house and I've refused them onto my property. From what I've read, they'll harass for about 30 days...there was a very recent chicago tribune article on the ACS. No way are they legally able to collect this information.

Well the harassment has started with a phone call from some guy from the Census.

I told him I have returned it and he told me that if they didn't get it in the next 5-7 days he would be calling again. Can't wait for that one.I'm not answering the phone or answering my door. It's against the 4th amendment of my right to privacy.

We can thank ex president Bush for all this mess starting back in 2005.

People need to contact your Senators,Congressman and local representatives about this intrusive form.

It also need to get into the media about this problem.I don't think the Census wants that kind of publicity.

I forgot to mention when contacting your representative you should tell them you want their support on a bill H.R.931 that is now in a subcommittee that is about this very subject. It would make it voluntary to answer these question. You would only have to answer basic questions.

I have received 2 ACS forms and my first phone call. My husband and I refuse to provide the answers they need. I am afraid of being harassed, but I am "relieved" to know that we are not alone. I'll do some more research before I get my next phone call, or a home visit. I want solid proof saying I don't have to comply so I can rub their noses in it.

This started way before Bush. It started because of the backlash from the census long form from the 2000 census. Just after Bush was elected he was asked about the ACS and said he would not fill it out. Budget cuts to the CB will do more to kill the ACS that writing to your elected officials, who need this info to pander to voters.

Solid proof.... well, it violates the 4th and 10th amendments to the Constitution. Punishing anyone for not complying will result in granting that individual standing in the court to sue the gov, which is why no one has been fined. The gov wants to scare people into answering questions that it has no right to to ask. John W. Whitehead, founder of the Rutherford Institute has a commentary on the ACS. The gov needs a warrant to make you answer.

I read the commentary by Mr. Whitehead and it sounded to me like you have to answer their questions and you can be fined up to $50,000 or am I missing something?? Now I'm scared again when I had just began to feel like I had some control over this.

Nope. I didn't answer their questions and I haven't been fined. The CB wants you SCARED. That's how the procedure works. Mr. Whitehead is one of the lawyers waiting to have someone get fined so this goes to court. When your 90 days are up, the CB goes away. The gov needs a warrant to collect this info on citizens. No warrant - no info. Dealing with the CB can be an emotional rollercoaster. Most of us are not use to civil disobedience. We follow the law. The ACS is an abuse of power and a gov funded extortion ring. You are not alone and you are not required to talk to the CB either.

The 2000 census long form produced such a backlash that elected officials told constituents not to answer the questions and the CB director, Prewitt, was afraid that the citizens would boycott the next census because of the invasive questions. The long form morphed into the ACS. A lawyer for the Clinton administration wrote a flimsy reason for the justification for the ACS; Since it use to be part of the census then it was covered by the census rules. In spite of the fact that the Constitution does not allow for sampling, which the ACS is. While testing the ACS, the CB then asked the congressional subcommittee which oversees the CB, to add the "mandatory" on the form to increase the response rate. The subcommittee agreed with the stipulation that no one would be fined.Title 13 and title 18 were laws regarding the decennial census and were not passed to enforce the ACS. Title 18 was expanded to increase the fine for leverage, to give the perception that the non-responder would be fined. The CB feels that since the census has always asked questions, that it has the authority to ask questions because congress won't debate that these types of questions should never be asked. The CB will get the public to believe that it has the authority when it does not.

1. The ACS is tied to your residence not you. If you move during the 90 days, the CB will bug the next occupants and not follow you to a new residence.

2. The CB claims a 95% response rate for the ACS. So how do they get that when the last census had a response rate between 54-72% depending upon the state? Well, the CB considers a completed form to contain 5 data points. Anyone looking at the residence can come up with 5 data points.

3. Lets give the CB the 95%, even though the real rate is lower and do a simple math problem. 250,000 residences per month get the ACS, so the 5% non-responders are 250,000 X .05 = 12,500/month. 12,500 X 12 months = 150,000/year. The ACS was fully implemented in '06 or about 5 years, which gives us 150,000 X 5 yrs = 750,000 residences which would be fined before they ever get to you.

4. The CB can't even get the population counts done correctly, so why think that they can confirm the accuracy of any of the info placed on the returned surveys? Do you really think they have the staff to mount a case against the non-responders?

5. The questions on the ACS are submitted by the data users and the CB supporters so that congress can be lobbied to continue this invasion of privacy.

I have been researching this for almost 4 years. I have known about the long form back since the 80's, when a friend got one and refused to fill it out. Then I got the ACS the same time that 2 of my out of state friends got it. I continue to follow the data and to watch who is submitting new questions. I know how the reps are trained. This comes under the "know your enemy". Even the field reps don't know the law. They know what they are told to say. This has become my civil disobedience pet project.

I am not connected to any specific lawyers. I have read blog posts from lawyers who are watching the CB. Those who developed the ACS know that it is a violation of the Constitution. They figure that no one would do research or actually read the title 13 and 18. The CB counts on the public being afraid and not knowing their rights or the law. The CB is very good at tamping down any bad press so that the program can continue. Only 1/3 of the non-responders get field rep visits, so hopefully, you are done.

The media get perks from the CB, which is why there is not a lot of coverage, especially negative coverage. The CB tries to cover it's bases. The media is no longer a watch dog for the people, instead it is a lap dog for big gov political elites.

We are currently being harassed by the ACS people. Started with a few mailings, then there was a knock at the door. I wasn't sure what this was so I didn't answer the survey, and gave my Husband's phone # instead (looking back this was a mistake, but I didn't know what to do). She called him every day, but he did not answer (on purpose). Then she'd call from a "Private" number when he wouldn't answer from the 3 regular numbers she was calling from, and then she had her supervisor call and left a voicemail that said "I don't want to see you get fined..." So we set my husband's phone to give a "number no longer in service" message to anyone calling from the numbers she was calling from. I bet she loved that! She still continues to come to our door every day and knock/ring doorbell relentlessly at both our doors, so we dismantled our doorbell. Then today I got home from work to see someone sitting on my steps with their laptop and coffee waiting for me. Guess who!? She didn't hear me pull up, so I parked down the street and waited until she left. I waited about 1/2 hour, she never did. Then my neighbor went up to her and said something (not sure what it was) and she started walking down the sidewalk like she was going to leave. So I drove back around the block and didn't see her, then up the alley and suddenly she appeared in my yard as I pulled into the driveway. So I looked at her, backed out, and drove away. I ended up leaving for a couple hours before coming back. Then she was gone. Seriously, is it legal for someone to come and hang out at your property until you come home? To sit on your steps and surf the internet while they wait? That's freaky and feels like I'm being stalked.

Annoyed Private Citizen,No they don't have the right to be on your property. Put up NO TRESPASSING, NO SOLICITATION or Private Property. Then you have the right to call your local Sheriff or police department and have them removed from you property. Why should you have to try to stay away from them when they are on your property?

You have to ignore them an not tell them anything. Don't even talk to them. Go in your house and shut the door on them.

You can look forward to the harassment for several months. Then they go away.

This is total BS. We're currently being harassed by a census rep too. He's somehow gotten my name, unpublished landline number, and also my cell phone and is trying to make contact pretty much daily, in one way or another. I hate being made to feel anxious in my own home. I'm hoping that the reason he's so insanely stalker-ish right now is that my 3-month deadline is coming up and I'll be free of these whackos in a few days come July. This is so wrong on so many levels.

We received the first ACS on 5/25/11 and the second on 6/15/11. I never sent either in but kept both to show people because very few know about this. The phone calls began on 7/3/11 and we are getting them every 2 hours on some days, including weekends. Fortunately we have caller ID, and I only answered the first call. At that time I told the man we would not respond to the survey and hung up. None of the other calls have been answered, BUT...I am keeping a phone log, and will also keep a "visit" log when they begin coming to the door. This is harassment and extortion of the first order, and it is frightening coming from the long, powerful arm of the Federal Government. I am very thankful for the encouragement of these posts from former "victims" of the ACS.

We have gotten two copies of the survey forms...trashed them both. I cannot believe the private information they want us to hand over to them. So far we have had 4 calls from them. This afternoon my husband answered the phone when they called and they made the mistake of telling him it is against the law to refuse to answer the survey. He promptly and very nicely told them to "kiss his a**!" When they show up at the door the police are going to get called.

I got my survey in the mail this week and I feel sick over the whole thing. Why in the heck does the government of the United States NEED to know if i have problems taking a bath (question #18c)? How exactly will this help other americans by the gov knowing this kind of thing. This is by far the most insane thing I've ever seen. It would seem I am entitled to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" only if I tell the government how many bedrooms I have in my home and what time I leave for work every day.

I have received the two forms, a reminder card, and an envelope/card in my door. Today I received another visit at my door (she came through my garage when I did not answer the front door) and I was expecting my neighbor so I answered (mistake). Told her the survey was not only an invasion of privacy but unconstitutional and I would not be filling it out. She said "it is required by law" and when I repeated the same answer - she said they will be sending more information and I will be getting a visit from "someone else". Am taping a "No solicitation/No trespassing sign" on the front door as I speak. Can anyone tell me what the timeframe is for how long this will go on? Is it 3 months and fronm when - receipt of the first survey?

No phonecalls here yet, but we have received the survey now three times accompanied by a letter that says we are required by law to return it and they may send a census worker to our home. Go ahead. This survey is INSANE! My husband and I have our priorities right and protecting our family is number 1. I will not, under any circumstances, respond to this survey. Just kinda wondering what will happen next....? Thanks to everyone for posting though! It has helped me to reinforce the way I feel about this unconstitutional invasion of my privacy. I'm gonna keep checking back to see what happens with everyone...and I will update what is happening in my situation as well. One thing is for sure...I WILL NOT complete the survey! We have to take a stand and draw the line at some point, and it should have been done looong before now!

"Unknown" here following up on my 6/29 post. Well, the census worker who was harassing us and his higher-up continued to try to reach me via my landline and cell on 6/29. On 6/30 (which was our deadline) the worker managed to track down my husband's work number and called him. My husband was not in agreement with me on this situation so he agreed to speak to the rep. The rep asked my husband if he'd answer the questions, husbo said yes, and the ONLY questions the rep asked are the same ones about how many people live in the household that had been asked, and answered by me, on the decennial census survey last year. That's IT! Not the crazy ones about if I needed help bathing, had mental problems, or when we left for work and that nonsense. So....if the only "important" questions are about population (and were already answered) then why the hell do they come after us to answer all these other insane questions about our family? I don't get it. This is beyond stupid, not to mention invasive. These guys suck. Good luck to the rest of you guys. I'm off to enjoy my downtime until the next round of this crap in 5 years (is it?).

The CB only needs 5 data points to declare the survey "complete". I'm sure that just by looking at your residence, many of the questions were answered by the rep. Also, the CB was able to record you as "contacted". Now you will be filed as a responder. This is another way the CB can say that the response rate is 95%. They fudge the data.

About 4 years ago, we were unlucky enough to be selected for the ACS. We considered it a total invasion of privacy and did not respond. We received 2 copies of the form plus postcard reminders. There was one message left on the answering machine and we blocked the number and never heard from them again.

We could hardly believe it last week when we were again selected for the survey. Of course, we will not fill it out this time either. With the country so broke, how do they have money to waste on junk like this? If the debt commission is looking for ways to cut spending, they can start with the ACS,

The posts on this blog have helped reinforce my view that the ACS is unconstitutional. Firstly, I believe the ACS inappropriately expands the scope of the decennial census. Furthermore, I firmly believe the ACS employs methods of interrogation that egregiously violate the boundaries between citizen and state established in the Bill of Rights-, particularly as described in the 4th and 5th Amendments.

...and add in the 10th amendment. Most of the "benefits" claimed by the CB are a clear violation of state and individual rights. The federal gov has no business deciding who needs schools, road expansion, or social engineering programs. The state and local govs have the right to decide and the federal gov needs to respect those decisions. Instead, the feds have decided that they need to micro manage all levels of American life, even when their intrusion has made things worse.

Yes, Cathy, I completely agree. The Founders designed a system of power sharing, not power grabbing. In CB-speak, the levels of government most directly accountable to the people--that is, state and local--, are most likely to efficiently allocate resources. In plain language, the members of the town council will probably make better decisions about where to put stop signs than the members of Congress. In any event, I think the CB's "benefits" argument is a smokescreen concealing a coercive interrogation system. Their Utopian ends do not justify their despotic means.

Can anyone CONFIRM THE LENGTH OF TIME that they harass you at home before they give up? I received the first survey in July so I'm hoping they give up soon. It seems to be intensifying - they've been here 3x this week already and last night they pounded on my door for 10 minutes straight at 7:30 pm (after dark). This is absolutely UNREAL, not to mention disturbing -I have written letters but only received one response from my reps, and that was an 'I understand your concern BUT the Census bureau does important work' response... very unsettling.I hope this ends soon - I've been hounded at my house for 1 month now as I ignored the ACS since July.

You should be done today. They always ramp up at the end, hoping that the increased visits will cause a panic. For some reason, the field agents try very had to establish a "contact" with the resident, so they pull out all the stops during the last week. I had 2 field agents working on me the last week.

Tell your rep that the survey violates your constitutional rights and the CB has no business collecting this info.

Hi everyone, I am so glad I found this website. We just got the ACS in the mail on 10/26 and I was shocked at how invasive the questions are, My stomach was all up in knots over being forced to answer these questions. On 10/31 I found a note on our gate from a field agent, I haven't even had time to decide what to do about it yet, which is why he was here already. So I wouldn't have time to think about it. Well I have now and I NOT giving them any information at all. I put a lock on our gate and no trespassing signs up and just to make them think twice ,beware of dog also. If I do have a run in with any agents, I will take pictures of them and their car, and record our encounters. I am documenting everything. Everyone here has inspired me to fight back. I will not be a good little robot. I think what they are doing is harassment and extortion. I hope I can last the 3 months. Thank You everybody, I felt hopeless before I found you.

Hi, what would be better, totally avoiding the agents, or telling them we will not answer any questions? We have a gate and a long driveway, so they can't get to our door to harass us. This is our 1st week of 3 long months and any advice would be helpful.

First, it is totally ok to avoid all contact with the agent. Contact is what they want so that they can record that they made contact even when all answers are refused. They can then record things like race, gender and guess at age and physical health.2nd, you might be at the end of the harassment. The last 30 days are the field agent visits. They may not have been able to find a phone number and have skipped to the visit phase. I have known of a resident who received no survey or phone calls and then had an agent pestering them.

There is no law which requires you to read your mail, answer your phone or open your door!The bottom line is that you are not obligated to have any interaction with the CB except for the regular census and the time for that has passed.

We hit the 90 day mark today so I guess we are home free. They called multiple times but we used caller ID and never answered. We did not receive a home visit. Same exact thing happened six years ago. If these surveys are truly random, it seems very odd we were selected twice.

My advice is ignore the phone calls. They called us from 3 numbers, one each in Indiana, Arizona and DC. Good luck to everyone who refuses.

Likewise my wife and I found the survey to be over the top. After reading this and other blogs, I decided to simply state two persons at this address, no other answers, and mail it in. The agent has stopped by once while we were out, left a note and called three times. Then my wife started getting all wobbly about it, so she called our congressman, whose office confirmed that what I did was best if we found it objectionable.

The agent seems to use a cell phone with her name and number on caller ID (BTW, Dorothy Littrell, Philadelphia area, sounds like a nice middle aged or older person). I keep forgetting who it is, and thinking it is one of my wife's bridge buddies, I keep answering it. She begins to explain the survey, and I just cut her off and tell her I am very familiar with it, that I have already filled it out and that is all the information she is getting. The last call she was nearly pleading that they could not find my survey, to which I replied, "I'm really sorry about that, but I mailed it in and you lost it, I can't waste any more time with you." She did not make any threats and I have not heard from her in a month, nor had any written communication.

I am sure these are decent people with a terrible job to do. This survey is an abomination, second only to our hideous tax code in intrusiveness. Civil disobedience is the right choice for us, at least until they put teeth in their threat to fine.

Most of the field reps are elderly and they only know what the CB tells them about the survey. If they fail to get compliance, they could lose their jobs. The CB doesn't tell these reps that the ACS is a total violation of privacy laws and individual rights. The funding is getting cut for the survey, which prevented the CB from increasing the sample size of the survey. This program and the other gov programs the data feeds are unsustainable and will implode. My advise to the data junkies and the gov info mafia.....prepare your resumes.

These questions are NOT what our Founders had in mind for a government census! What time do you leave for work? Did you give birth last year? How much do you pay for your utilities? How many rooms inside your home?

We also received our ACS in December 2010. I ignored it until the second copy came in the mail the week after Christmas. Upon opening and review, I was extremely concerned about the type of information requested and overall the general intrusiveness of the whole document. My husband and I decided not to participate. The phone calls began in early January, and we have begun to keep a log, including name, time, phone number and state of origin of the calls. All the calls come from either Indiana or Arizona and do not have a company name or identify the U.S. Census on the caller i.d. The calls have become increasingly more rude and I have noted a tone of hostility in the voices of the personnel. We have been completely polite with the callers and at the beginning of each call we have informed the caller that we have decided we will not participate in this survey. I have written e-mails to our state senators (Massachusetts) and to our local congressman but have not heard a response from any of their offices. My husband and I are not radicals. We pay taxes, we vote and we have participated in the 2010 Census as required. We will not be participating in the survey, and I encourage everyone who has received it to hold firm in their convictions.

When I first received the American Community Survey, I thought it was a joke. You want to know what time I leave my house for work?? Then I received the Agricultural survey that I was also required by law to complete. I thought - how random could these surveys be if I am receiving two. I refused to complete either. I am just a single mother, who votes, pays taxes and supports the schools. The very nerve that the government is trying to say they are using this information for schools irritates me. They don't even support the ones we currently have, and the schools complete surveys based on population of attendees without divulging personal information. I received a second American Community Survey. Then the phone calls started. At first they were twice a week, but then they came EVERY DAY! I did some research and stand behind the fact that the government's intrusive tactics are unconstitutional, and individuals can request the results through public disclosure, and businesses can purchase the results. The United States’ citizens personal information is being sold. The government is in financial distress. Why not use the information and make a $ or two at the expense of unsuspecting citizens. I finally answered the annoying phone calls and said, "I want you to quit stalking me." She laughed and said she wasn't. I thought your response is laughter – you really don’t want my survey then. I promptly told her I was practicing my constitutional right to not complete the survey and hung up. My children asked me if I was afraid of the government. My answer is this - I am God fearing but not government fearing. Shame on our government!

The only way for this insanity to stop is for everyone to join together and refuse to answer it. I am being harassed by incessant phone calls, letters, and knocks on my door. I have told the census worker to stay the hell off of my property but she keeps coming back. Who the hell do these people think they are? I just cannot believe that this is the U.S., it feels like I live in a communist country with these people. We cannot submit to these bullying and unconstitutional tactics! We can empower eachother and fight for our right to privacy!

We got our first visit today. My wife just happened to be at the bottom of the driveway with our two massive Great Pyrenees livestock guard dogs. The dogs had the agent VERY nervous and she would never get far from the car. My wife basically told her 4 people lived at our farm and that's all she was getting so scram. Agent said she would turn the info in to her superiors and left. Let the games begin! I will go ahead and notify the local sheriff's office that I expect another trespasser and will try to have the next agent arrested. Wouldn't that be funny?

We received our 2 forms. Today the calls began. I am so glad to have found this site. Thank you for all your experiences. This is madness! I pray that I have the stomach to stand up to them all. I don't do well with confrontations. But hearing that it lasts 90 days or so, makes me feel better. At least I know there will be an end to it all!

PRAISE GOD for you guys! I have been trying to find out some information about all of this and I feel so much better after reading these comments. It is nice to know I'm not alone in this. Got the long form survey 2 months ago, ignored it for 2 weeks then FINALLY filled out about half of it until I got to questions about my kids. Disgusted, I stuck it in the envelope incomplete and sent it in. I received a new ACS about 2 days later and threw it away. Then the calls started. I answered the first time, repeatedly quoted the constitution only required an "enumeration of the people in my household, I had answered all that I was going to and would not answer any more questions." He tried to give me Article 14, blah blah blah, I cut him off and repeated the above. He then told me his supervisor was listening in with him and that it was required by law I answer his questions. I repeated the above, and told him to have a nice day. He finally shut up so I hung up the phone. I've received one message since then with a number to return in ref. to my "case number." So disgusted by all of this and SOOO very grateful to this blog, and to Cathy for her knowledge! I am continuing to research this and I almost can't WAIT for them to show up on my doorstep. I think I'll go out and buy a no trespassing sign tomorrow.

The Director of the CB is leaving... Yes, Robert M. Groves is leaving for an academic position, which is what they all do. Plans for the 2020 census are under way with the possibility that the 2020 would have to cost less than the 2010. The CB knows that those resisting the CB will continue to be uncooperative. Yeah! Also that that the ACS would be used as a "test bed" for the 2020 census. Do these people try hard to be this stupid, or does it come naturally? The good news is that with the money getting tighter, the CB will not be able to conduct its data collection work. I can hear the social science community whining from here. Polish those resumes, guys. When the money runs out, the CB will have to return to doing only what is mandated by the Constitution and nothing more.

Well, I got my survey today. I'm ignoring it. I guess I can first expect some follow up letters, then phone calls, and then visits. My husband and I are on the same page. We are expecting the worst but plan to stand our ground. Thanks to everyone that posted their experiences here, I can't tell you how heartening it is to have this info.

Got My Survey Yesterday. I am so glad I found this site! I feel Better about the fact I tore it up and tossed it out. It is so intrusive! Ive had credit card fraud, checking account fraud etc. And they think Im going to write this stuff down and stick in the mail? Think again. Thanks to all for your comments! I am with each and every one of you! I will Also STAND UP FOR OUR RIGHTS! If they already have your Phone number, why do they ask you for it on the form? I file taxes. They can see that at the IRS. They can google My address and it comes up in public records how many bedrooms I have etc. why waste all this money on Mailing and paying these people to find out what they already know? It makes no sense. And it pisses me OFF! If someone else did this, they be arrested for stalking!

I do not recall when I first got my letter that stated I was going going to receive the survey ( I wish I could). My best guess is that it was January/Feb. My adventure seems to have stopped as of May 1st.

We chose not to fill out the ACS for the usual reasons: privacy, security of that data, and the basic fact that I believe the census bureau is overstepping it authority in asking citizens these questions.

We never received phone calls we really don't have a typical land line and I think it was hard for them to find.

I had been reading up on the web other peoples experiences so I pretty much knew what to expect next. There are a lot of good resources out there about the ACS process. This is why I wanted to pass along my story.

Our first in person visit caught us off guard. My wife answered the door, spoke to the field rep a minute and then realizing what she had stepped in to told her that she did not know what she was talking about and closed the door. That was our one and only time talking to a rep. From then on we ignored the door bell ringing/knocking. And we simply took their information they would tape to our door and collected it. We also received numerous letters with the same information and even an overnight fedex with the same info.

We then received visits about once or twice a week with one rep. And I noticed from other stories that this only goes on for a while as they seem to miss their window to get your stats in their stats. I started to calculate that May 1st my ordeal would end. The last week of April was the worst. A new rep showed up and she was much more aggressive. Coming everyday that week. I had mentally told myself that if this did not end at the end of the month that I would have to take a more aggressive approach with her. Thankfully it did not come to that. While I felt like a prisoner in my home some times I do think ignoring them completely worked for me as it did not make them think I was going to bend and talk.

I encourage everyone to talk to their congressmen about US Rep. Ted Poe's current house bill to make this survey voluntary. I also encourage you talk to your family and friends about the ACS as well so they can just say no as well.

About 14% do not respond to this survey. I wish that number was higher.

The number of non-responders is higher than 14% because the CB lies about it to keep funding. The CB will count a residence as responding if there are 5 data points collected. That can be done by the rep just by looking at a residence. Your second rep was the refusal specialist.

The CB use to state that the response rate for the ACS was 95%, which far exceeds the response rate of most surveys and the rate for the decennial census. The response rate for the decennial census is between 62-79% depending on the state. So there is no way that the CB can tout a higher rate for the ACS. It is nothing but lies.

So now my little adventure with ACS begins. Glad to find this site.I hardly remembered about this crap in the news many years ago and had completely forgotten about it until a couple of months ago when my first notice and packet arrived. In seven decades on this earth I have never been asked to fill out anything as intrusive into my personal life as this.I also have never given anything more than Number and names of persons living in my home and possibly dates of birth. The phone calls have just began a couple of weeks ago. At first I just told them I didn't take calls from tel-marketers and hung up on them.During one of my migraine headaches, not thinking, one got through so I told him I threw the surveys away so he wanted to do a phone survey. I told him I still wasn't comfortable with my Constitutional right being violated and also was too ill at the time. He is sending me some more propaganda to read before the next phone call. I had to have time to research and make the right decision for my wife's sake.I don't want to do anything that harms her and a $5000 fine would do that.( What they do not know, we have a second home 300 miles away from this one and she spends 90% of her time there) Seeing that the threats are a bunch of BS and all you good brave have gone through it without all the knowledge you passed on, I salute you. So, my new found comrades, it looks like I am in for a long harassment. I remember those from my very early married life with kids and bill collectors. I was young and naive then but now a cantankerous old coot with great grandkids.

Anonymous in Texas Thanks Cathy for the assurance. I received the aforementioned propaganda in the mail and deposited it into the trash. Received another call around 9am this morning. Told them I wasn't interested and got the ole "mandatory" spiel too which I just laughed into their ear and hung up. I'm also encouraged by the work of the Rutherford Institute against the ACS. Their web site is https://www.rutherford.orgSure wish some of the posters from a few months back would follow up on their final outcome....

From Texas again...Nothing like being harassed from the idiots at ACS during Fathers Day Lunch with family. I'm talking about 12:20 noon on Father's Day Sunday. After politely (which was tough) telling her I would not fill it out under any circumstance and quit harassing me she would not let up so... the family was both shocked and amused to see this old man unload on that idiot and tell her what she could with her survey. She informed me that someone would be coming to my door to "handle" me. I feel badly now to talk to a woman that way but they need to know that when I say NO I mean Hell No. By the way, her accent was terrible so I know English isn't her first language.

Ooooooo, now you did it, she's going to send the....... REFUSAL SPECIALIST! And that will fix ya.

Reality is that another elderly person will be sent to try to get you to answer the questions. This is more phoney baloney from the CB. The CB takes pride in training their field agents to be "persistent" to down right annoying. That woman was nothing but rude to you to come out on a holiday to harass you. For some reason, the field agents just love appearing on a holiday. You're coming to the end of you harassment and that means that for the next 2 weeks you may get lots of visits. I even had 2 in one day during the last week.

Great blogsite. I got my ACS around late April-early May and the second in late May. Being a loyal county-loving American, I set about completing the form until I discovered the intrusive and irrelevent questions. I didn't complete the form.

I answered the first phone call from CB and after listening to the spiel, I ask her "how she got my name?" She responded that she just got it. I explained that the form was addressed to "RESIDENT", not to any specific name. She tried to brush that off and get on with the phone interview.

I answered the basic questions which the CB has a right to know. On the question about how many rooms are in my house, I asked her why the CB needed to know that. She said "in case my house burned down, the government may not send me enough money to replace my house if I didn't answer correctly". I told her the government wouldn't be sneding any money to me in case my house burnt so i wouldn't respond. I guess she thought I was stupid.

I answered several questions by saying "that's confidential". She explained that my response was mandatory. I told her I had responded. She became irriated and told me I had to answer because every time I answered "confidential" five more questions popped up on her screen.

I told her to call my senator and have them tell me why I am compelled to answer such invasive questions. She said in a raised voice "you called your senator". I said OK and hung up. I went straight to my comoputer to get my senator's phone number, but before I found it, she called back and said " she was going to send someone out to my home who Would get the answers and that I didn't like it I couild tell it to the US Supreme Court, as they are th ones taht handle their stuff for them". I said "okay, I always wanted to argue a case before the supreme court". She hung up on me!!!

BTW, I contacted the offices of Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) via their website and they haven't responded and that was about three weeks ago. I will call them tomorrow. This insanity has to stop.

The CB contracts out to telemarkers to search for landlines and the to obtain residents' names. I had been listing my phone under my dog's name, so the the CB was totally confused as to who actually lived at my residence. Obtaining a your name is supposed to intimidate you.

In order for the Supreme Court to have a say in ACS, someone has to be fined. Without a fine, no one has standing to go to the courts.

Having a conversation with the CB is like teaching a pig to dance and we all know how that works out. The idea is to become so annoying that the resident caves just to get rid of them.

From Texas Again,Still waiting for the Specialist to show up and take care of me.lolIt's been over a week without a phone call or anyone harassing me. Gee, with all that Government mandated power behind them you would think I would be in a dungeon and stretched on a rack until I gave them what they wanted.Is it possible that they caved this quickly???? Time will tell....I'm interested to know if the person in NC ever heard back from their Senator and if so, what was his suggestion.

From Texas Again,Had my first field visit today. A very nice lady knocked on the door and told me who she was too which I told her I had nothing for her. She asked if I would answer a few questions and I told her no, only how many lived here. She asked if I would give her my name and I told her no. She asked if she could "PLEASE" leave some brochures and I told her no. With that she thanked me and left. I'm so thankful she didn't spout that "mandated" crap which allowed me to keep my cool. Knowing the character of the people living here, I feel sure that will be the end of this BS for this year.... So thankful I never filled out those terrible forms and sent them in.....

From Texas againWell, I was wrong. Fed Ex rang the front bell and dropped a packet on the porch. As soon as I saw who it was I knew what the packet was and tried to stop him so I could refuse it. Too late because he was gone in a flash. Was not surprised that it had my full name and address. The same thing field rep asked me for. I went ahead and opened the packet and it was the same old "Mandatory you have no choice BS" and brochures but it also gave me some phone numbers. One was the lady that visited Wednesday so I called it and left the message that I still wasn't filling out the damn forms and because she was a lady I would not tell her what to do with the forms and brochures I refused her to leave and I tore up unread and too leave me alone. I then called the number listed for the supervisor and left him the message of my address and I was not going to fill out the damn forms and that he could roll them up in a tight little roll and shove them up his @ss and was damn tired of the harassment and did they finally get the message through their thick socialist skulls.DON'T Mess With Texas is our motto.I am usually a very nice mild manner man that tries to show respect to people but can have a temper if someone keeps pushing me. Nice just doesn't seem to work with these people. I apologize if my actions offend any reader of this blog. More to follow as events unfold.....

Received the suevey twice and did not respond. Left the country for three weeks and returned to 22 phone calls from a field agent. My kids told me that the agent climbed over the wall and rang door bell, knocked on various doors and looked in windows then left cards demanding that I respond on two different doors, the security gate and the code pad to open the security gate. the kids said that it was very creepy and that they hid in their rooms whenever the doorbell rang. I told them that if they run into the agent they are to say that I am out of the country and that they are just housesitting and not able to give any information. Talk about invasive!

Just opened the 2nd packet today. The first was thrown away some time ago. I think I have been getting the phone calls on my cell, which is not under my name, but have not answered as I assumed they were marketing calls.

I'll say it....it's sort of frightening. I'm a single person and I feel threatened with the intrusive questions and now the follow up demands.I refuse to answer these surveys and really don't have money to pay the fines. Surely this is illegal?Should I contact someone? A lawyer? Senator?

Thanks for the reply cathy. Since I posted I've read every single article and responses here.I feel confident in my stance now.I should have stayed off the grid like in my earlier rebel days,(lol) oh well.

Well, I just got my first form in the mail yesterday. Thankfully my sister found this site today. I am inspired by all of you folks who are standing by your principles. Guess I will draw the shades and turn off the answer machine. 90 days huh? Thinking of putting a chain across my driveway with "no trespassing" and "beware of dog" signs.

We received this intrusive "survey" about six weeks ago and it created a discussion within my home regarding what is this thing. I don't believe it is a survey to use to fund our community. I think it is to scare people and see who will obey and who won't. It came out of 9/11 I believe. We have received two phone calls, each from women...a Sunday night at 8PM and another on a Saturday 11 am.This type of harassment is very scary. And the entity has no sole or face.

I got a postcard a few months ago, stating I would get the ACS Survey. Sure enough, a few weeks later, it arrived. I was appalled by the intrusive questions, so I threw it away.

About a month later I received another one. It also went into the trash.

For the past month/six weeks, they call EVERY D@MN DAY, at least 3-4 times a day.

My favorite way of answering them is to pick up the phone and immediately hit the speaker button. Then I don't say anything; I just let them listen to the "everyday sounds" in the house (people talking; the TV; a radio; the dog barking; etc.). It's amusing as hell to hear them saying "hello...hello....hello..." over and over again, until they get irritated and hang up.

Then they call back a few seconds later and I do the same thing; I hit the speaker button and allow them to hear that someone has answered, but refuses to speak with them. This will go on 3 or 4 times until they give up for the day (or night... the calls have come in as late as 9:00 or 10:00 at night).

I'm sure a "field agent" will show up at some point. I will NOT open my door and I will tell them I'm calling the police, as I dial 911 to report a trespasser who will not leave.

Sorry, like most of you have stated, the questions are unbelievably intrusive and given the lack of security with our information (lost/stolen laptops; temporary workers; hacked systems), there's no way in hell I'm answering this thing. Besides, 99% of the questions can be answered by looking at my tax returns, contacting the county assessment office, my tax collectors and the recorder of deeds office at the county courthouse. It's not up to me to provide them with the information they already have access to.

Thanks to everyone who told their story. Mine is just beginning. I'm a single Mom, on her own with two teenage kids. We only use cell phones, so maybe they'll be more aggressive on door-visits? The kids know to never answer the door here-- we're new in the community and there's no reason for anyone to come here. *sigh* NOT looking forward to this crap.

My parents just received this American Community Surrvey in the mail ... I am truly a polled with the questions that are asked , sounds like, looks like , smells like a bull S___t , package , they are 83, & 86 of age I always tell them no way don't answer the phone , use your caller I.D. . Even have it come on the T.V. So they don't even have to get out of their chair, wow if they get harrass because I don't believe their personal info is anyone business . It even wants to know what year they were married ! I don't think so , ask someone else these questions they well tell you non ya b ness ! Crazy in Califorinia ...

I am wondering, is it best to just not respond, pretending it never arrived? Or to return said survey with a letter stating you will not reply to their intrusive questions? I like what some one posted about since the survey is addressed to resident, you have no obligation to open it... I pretty much throw all "resident" mail into the trash.

I am an honest law abiding citizen. Don't cheat on taxes, am honest and hard working. I hate this survey, the questions are intrusive. And this "random" survey came on the heels of my only answering questions on the census that pertained to how many adults lived here. Then they visited and called... Now this.

I didn't respond so the field agents would have the least amount of info on me. They can't prove you received it because it doesn't require a signature when it arrives. Their own info states that it is "not you" but the residence which was chosen. In my book, that means that they can ask my "residence" all the questions they want. Getting an answer out of a building..... is another thing entirely.

Received my card and first package early Oct. Read it and tossed it in a drawer. couple weeks later get the second package, opened it thinking there would be a more harassing letter included this time, but nope. Early last week got a call from the CB, told her I was not going to complete the survey. Short conversation, she was polite, and when I told her not to waste the taxpayers money sending someone to see me she replied she would never ever send anyone to my house to bother me.

Early this week another call. this guy was a little more aggressive, said I legally had to fill it out. I informed him of the Constitution and my rights, he countered quoting the title numbers authorizing him to collect the information. I told him I wasn't answering crap and he clarified by asking if I was refusing. Told him yes, I was and he wanted me to write refused on the survey and send it in. When I told him I didn't know if I even had the survey anymore he stuttered and asked what I meant. I said I don't know if I threw them in the trash or night, but I probably did. That brought his ears up and he said "We will just have to step it up a notch then" and wished me a good day. I asked what step it up a notch meant, and he just repeated himself and hung up. I actually hope they send in the goons. Will keep you posted...Midnite

Step it up a notch..... yeah, like that's a plan. Keep in mind that the idiots at the CB are constantly studying people. They are annoyed with the non-responders. They think that they will find a way to crack them. The CB can wave their title this and that all they want. Those titles are not articles in the Constitution not are they part of the Bill of Rights. In the mean time, those annoying taxpayer funded thugs can just pound sand.

Hi, everyone! My nightmare started in about Sept. of 2013 and I thought surely this ACS thing was a SCAM, considering the content of the questions on this survey. No one in America should be asked to share such private information, which (even tho they claim to keep "confidential") -- on their own website in write-in "questions & answers" from John Q. Public -- this survey is given as one of the sources of information where people can go to find answers to queries such as "where can I find names and addresses and marriages and divorces?" In a letter from the Survey's Chief, he blatantly lied to me, if that is true, (and I'm sure it is true that once one gives up this private information it is NO LONGER PRIVATE) by telling me that all info. given on these surveys is kept strictly confidential! This government has stepped out of bounds asking only certain citizens all these personal, private intrusive questions. Not only is it none of their business, but to hand pick only a few of us to harass is discriminatory. Then to threaten and bully us -- and I'm 73 years old, a "little old lady" -- with thousands of dollars in fines and continually pound on my door and send scary letters and make menacing phone calls causing me continual stress, physical anxiety, even night terrors, just isn't what we expect of our government in the free United States of America. What next? The brown shirts at our door??? Today's letter I received from James B. Treat, this "Chief" of the American Community Survey Office is 2 pages long! I may never sleep again, but I'm not giving them my private information. Never! What I'd like to know is where is everyone and don't they know that we're losing our freedoms to a tyrannical government??? And besides that, how much must all this payroll to harass all of us be costing -- and our country is already rushing head-long full speed ahead into an indebtedness of almost $17T??? Does no one care?

Relax, I STILL have not been fined. The fine threat is simply that... a threat to strike fear into those who would resist. They can all take a long walk off a short pier. The treats are hollow and empty. If anyone is fined, there are some constitutional lawyers just waiting to have someone to represent in a suit against the CB. Until someone is fined, there is no standing in the court to bring a suit.

Thanks, Cathy, for your comments. How long have you been dealing with these guys? By the way, I failed to mention, on this recent letter, on the third page is a "Census Control Number", plus "ACSO Author: T. Long 1/10/2013", then it shows that the letter was cc'd to three people:cc: T. Johnson, L. Zarbough, F. Vitrano, OCIA I believe these are all people in the Labor Department. Does this mean they farm this out to ACORN to follow up with these strong-arm tactics by phone at door-to-door visits? If so, it looks as if my journey down this dark road has just begun!

How long have I been dealing with these guys? Well, the CB and the census in general have always annoyed me. It only they would stick to what the Constitution mandates and get out of all the social engineering stuff which has mucked up DC policies for decades. I has been 4 1/2 or 5 yrs since I received my ACS and I got so POd that I continue to research the CB and the social scientists who promote the necessity of all this nonsense. Why DC allows some of the dumbest people on the planet to conduct research of such silliness at taxpayers' expense in order to continue to publish their trite, is beyond me.

The field reps who are assigned to do the resident visits are CD employees. Only 1/3 of the non-responders will get the reps showing up. As much as the forms state that the residences are "randomly" selected, the ACS screens for target groups; the elderly, disabled, large families and those in small populated areas.

It is over at the end of the 90 days. The CB will ramp things up the last week of each month during the harassment cycle, which means more phone calls the last week of month2 and more visits the last week of month 3. I had about 5 visits from 2 different people the last week, with 2 during the same day. They do go away.

I had the full treatment from the ACS - and the fear and disgust was only mirrored by the time I was stalked a number of years ago. However in that case I won a restraining order. With the ASC there is no recourse, except to wait for the 3 month cycle to complete. Month 1: the letters and postcards came. I did not answer them. Month 2: the calls started - all different times of day, from the morning until nearly 9 o'clock. Usually 3 calls per day. There were three different phone numbers, all with the caller ID of the US Census. When I finally wised up to put them on BLOCK instead of just not answering them, the calls stopped for the rest of the month. Before I blocked the calls, sometimes a message was left, other times not. The message was pleasant - please call back to complete the survey. I never called back. Then, Month 3, the visits started. I honestly was not home the first times she must have come by. I left the materials outside, untouched. Then the handwritten notes started. "Please call me back and I'll make this quick!" she pleaded. Later notes had parts underlined or in all Caps. I did not call. I found their materials online and they are supposed to call and visit at different times during the day. One time, I saw her car about a block away, waiting for me to leaving early in the morning. Another time she came by while I was home and she was peering in the window. I never answered the door. While the visits go on, you still get letters and calls - but calls just from the Field Rep. Again, once I put the number on block, the calls stopped. After two weeks, the Field Rep changed. So they changed from "good cop" to Bad Cop. The second field rep would RING RING RING the doorbell and POUND on the door. which I ignored. She went to neighbors' houses to ask about us. She left notes saying the survey was REQUIRED and MANDETORY. But I did not answer. Let me tell you, it took a lot of effort on my part to ignore this stalking and harrassment. I took Cathy's advice and never said anything and didn't take any materials left at my door. On the last day of the month there were at least two visits. But then.... nothing.

I have found a lot of US Census docs online that show the Month 1, Month 2 and Month 3 process. As has been said by others, not everyone gets chosen for Personal Visits. My advice is to a) block the phone numbers from any US Census number. DO not accept messages from them. When you get a letter that notes your assigned Field Rep name and the number, block that number. IF you are home when they come, do not answer the door. There is no law that says you must answer the door. If you do, you are inadvertantly giving them information to complete their survey (i.e. you sex, age, racial background, english speaker, etc.) If you give them this information, you are allowing them to write up answers and therefore you are now a statistic of someone who has completed the survey.

When I read one of their reports saying that 97% of people complete the ACS, I was dumbfounded. But now I now how they fudge these numbers.

When they say that your information will be confidential and that unauthorized use will be penalized, you may think, great. but they don't tell you that there are planty of special interest groups that have AUTHORIZED use. Pray tell, who in the govt needs to know what your martial history is? What time you leave for work? What languages your children speak? Yet these are questions on the survey.

I'm appauled that the govt - my tax dollars - are harrassing and LYING to law abiding citizens and BULLYING them into providing information that is NOT REQUIRED and NOT MANDETORY despite their materials proclaiming that it is.

From Texas again. I came back to check to see if people are still being harassed by this Government Bull crap. I haven't been bothered since July 2012 when I called the area supervisor and told him where he could place his survey and begged him to please fine me. I wanted to just reassure everyone as Cathy has done, they are all bark and no bite when you call their bluff. I do want to tell you that the nicer you are to them, the longer you will be harassed.My ordeal only lasted about six weeks. The more you talk too them the more they will contact you. I believe that they think if you will keep talking to them then you are not sure of your actions and will cave in on stronger threats. Anyway, hang in there and exercise your Constitutional rights, it will end soon....

Last summer, there was the same car parked in front of my house for several days during one week. This is a residential area where owners park in their garage and visitors usually park in the driveway. There are rarely cars parked on the street. I thought it was odd that the car was there, with the driver inside. I thought maybe they were house hunting, or lost and looking at a map? But always the same car, always in front of my house.

Then, 6 months later, I got my ACS American Community Survey and, since I respect my privacy, (eventhough the govt apparently does not) I did not fill out the intrusive form, nor did I respond to any CB phone calls. Then, the home visits started. When they come by, they don't just knock and leave. They case the joint, like a stalker, a spy or a pervert. They park about a block away where they can see your house - see when you arrive or leave - but you don't notice. Well, I noticed. I saw the strange car, it was always the same white sedan, parked a block away. When I happened to be home and she came to the door, urgently knocking and ringing the bell, I looked out the window and saw the white sedan parked in front.

I was able to hold out and did not answer their pleads for cooperation, their pleads for my personal information that most friends do not know (and who would not be rude enough to ask.) I pay my taxes, I follow laws, and am a good citizen. I will not be bullied. Now I know that the car I saw last summer was watching one of my neighbor's house. I don't know which one, but I would like to shake their hand that they also were avoiding this afront to their privacy by obviously not responding to the ACS. I hope they held out to the end like I did. It took 90 days (30 of letters, 30 of letter and calls, and the last 30 with letters, calls and visits) but I did it.

The next time I see a car parked in front of my house, the driver inside, with a clipboard, obviously waiting for one of my law-abiding neighbors to come or go, I will call 311 and say that a car is loitering on my city street. That they are scaring me and I'd like them to leave. If the police get enough calls maybe they will get the point that they are not welcome here.

COuntry is a sinking ship. This IS what they spend tax dollars on? This BS?! Harassing its' citizentry, intrusive extremely private questions. Bad health care quality, no education, no pensions, poor quality of life here in USA--yet, they hire some goons to harass its' citizens, bang on windows, hang out on the porch. WTF??? Time to say ba bye to USA sinking ship.

Call 911 and report a criminal trespass. Period. Do NOT open the door.

Call the police and report a trespass. Period. Call them. You will NOT open the door to anyone. You will NOT answer the phone to anyone. You make your choices. There are X # folks living here. That's it. NO other info. PERIOD.

Got this form, thought it was a scam. *Had* to be a scam. Seriously? The gov't cares how many times I've been married???? Ignored it, and the multiple postcards following it up that threatened me with fines and prison. Told first CB caller that Hades would freeze before I answered these incredibly intrusive questions. Was essentially accused of being unAmerican. Really? Put the rest of the CB callers on speaker phone so they could enjoy my son's MTV. CB worked ultimately showed up at door. I agreed to tell him how many people lived here and dh agreed to state whether he was a veteran. Refused everything else, and that was it.

They want to threaten me with prison over my refusal to answer how may times I've been married or how many flush toilets I've got? Bring it.

Got the first package, trashed it.2nd package, trashed it too.Called the number (from a prepaid cell) and told the nice lady that I wasn't going to the questions, that there much too invasive.She told me that it's required by law to answer the questions, and could I provide her with the number on the form. Of course I refused.Yesterday, my wife was on her way out, when the interviewer approched her. She told him she was not allowed to talk to him, was visiting the house, she had no intention of giving him and infromation on the resident and that she was leaving.He left a package of stuff, including his card on the step.When I returned home, and wife told me what happened, I threw the carp out.Will post more information as it unfolds.

Thanks for this great site! Last month I got the letters/the survey/postcards. Now second month and have gotten 6 calls so far. I'm putting them on BLOCK. Can't wait for a visit, I'm calling the police on their butts.

Since I last posted, XX, I received a form letter, 12 June, telling me how important the survey is AND that I’m required to respond.Phone messages every day or two.The representative visited on the 16th, 17th, 20th, 21st. and left the standard “request for appointment” form.Mrs. Payne told the rep. William McLaughlin that she wasn’t talking to him and he’d have to talk to me. Handwritten on the form (and sometimes underlined) was “please call me at 215-370-1717 between 11am and 11pm. You are now in violation of Federal law (title 13. U.S.C.), But there are a few days left. Please call before it’s too late”.At the bottom is a sticker, Please call me at the number on the attached card, I am required to make contact with an adult member of this household and I am obligated to return until contact has been made ( that’s the treat of regular harassment).Last night my son in law was sitting on the step when McLaughlin came. He told him that he was visiting and wouldn’t provide any information on the occupant.Mrs. Payne and the girls are getting very nervous about the constant visits. They are urging me to call him and just lie, but that goes against my nature.Due to the date (late in the month) I’m expecting the visits to intensify or stop altogether.I’ll let you know.It’s time to tell the governments, FedCityState, to take a hike at every opportunity. How can we expect the sheep to resist the IRS, FBI etc, etc, when they wet themselves over the census bureau.

Thomas PaynePS as I’m typing, Mrs. Payne called informing me the McLaughlin called twice and stopped at the house, stating that I had till 6pm (1800) today to comply. After that there was nothing he could do help me.Ronald Regan commented the scariest words in the english (or any other language) are “I’m from the government and I’m here to help”.

Well, it's been a month and a half, since our friend McLaughlin from the census bureau has contacted me.No more letters, no more phone calls, no more personal visits.

So far I haven't been visited by the fbi (use of the lower case is completely intentional), the irs, the cia, the census police, the blm, the milk marketing board or the army core of engineers.....NO one.

If you can stand the Chinese water torture of the physiological drubbing and the nearly constant harassment for a couple of month...they JUST GO AWAY.If I hear from the bureau again, I'll post, but I sure they've moved on to browbeating the next lucky taxpayer.

The best part is that they, FedCityState, REALLY HATE TO BE TOLD NO I WONT.

We received the ACS and will NOT be filling it out. I was appalled by the questions asked. I just want to know how asking me if I can dress and bathe myself, what time I leave for work, if I have a computer, GPS, smartphone etc have to do with building new hospitals, fire dept and schools. My question is what is the best way to deal with them? Over a month ago we received the survey along with lots of mailings threatening us. Last week the phone calls started. As of now we are ignoring them. Is that the best way to handle them? Or is it best to tell them we will not participate?

Tell them nothing, No I don't live here I'm house sitting, No I can't give you any information on the residents, I'm not allowed to give you, or anyone else, any information.Don't answer the door, don't call them back.Ignore them.Read my posts (above) so you'll know what to expect.

Thanks for the reply Thomas. We ignored all mail and phone calls but now the visits have started. A census worker came by yesterday. I didn't get to the door immediately and she started yelling.....HELLO. I answered the door (I almost didn't but I had all the windows up in the house and didn't want her snooping in the windows). I did not answer any questions...even when she asked this is 1234 address. I just looked at her and shrugged my shoulders indicating I don't know. I told her we would not be filling anything out. She threatened me saying I had to it is the law. I told her to do whatever she had to do that I was not filling it out. She left but sat in her car for a long time. I called my husband (who works next door). As soon as she saw him she put her car in reverse and left. So my question is will we have more visits since I have told them I am not filling it out? Gosh I hope not. This harassing, threatening, stalking is awful!

Calls at all hours from a survey person from ACS office to our home--I am the caregiver 24/7 to a disabled lady in her 90's who has just had serious surgery. When I tell the person on the phone that the lady can't come to the phone I get the: "This is the government you know"phrase. I want to say: "This is a private citizen with constitutional rights you know." There have been numerous such calls totally demanding and annoying. Since when are people threatened over a survey--what kind of nonsense is this?

This is all too weird...just got a letter from ACS...filled it out partially but got as I read more of the highly intrusive I decided to Google ACS...omg all the stalking, harassing, climbing over walls,peering through windows, knocking on front and back doors, people staking from their cars watching, threats...this is not normal, it's pure evil.I have endured so far one year and nine months of exact behavior from my brother who has called and made false allegations and lies about me to APS,Police,has assaulted me which I had to get a protective order for my elderly mom and myself.He has had numerous people to call, harass,terrorize,bully that has caused anxiety, fear,distress,etc.This has continued by our cousin, who previously pushed his way in with his sister in which I was physically restrained and assaulted in my home.This cousin has on numerous times displayed same actions as ACS nonstop knocking on all windows and doors. I called police to see what am I supposed to do and they said since I've told him several times not to call or come by he is trespassing and to call them the next time he shows up. Soon after like days later started getting visits from animal control, housing ordinances everyday for sometimes twice in one day for three days. Now we get the letter from acs and from what I am learning is that just about everyone is experiencing the same frightening behavior that I have experienced from family members whom I have only always loved,blessed,and helped,only to be betrayed. I am used to the continuous bullying from my brother and all the people he has sent against me, and now I am wondering if he has friends in high places to help him continue his same type of abuse..nonstop. My strength comes from my faith in God that He is more Powerful than all the evil in the world and Greater Than All my problems and enemies...because those who lie to you, threaten you, stalk you, bully ,terrorize with threats are not good people.

I got mine recently—a postcard, the 28-page survey itself, two follow-up letters, and finally a visit from a cheerful government flunky to help me complete the survey. I kindly showed her the way off my property, although she lurked in her car at curbside for a while. I'm expecting a few more visits before they hit the budget limit for collecting my data.